Thumbs up to Peterborough municipalities for recognizing contribution, dedication of early learning and child care staff

PETERBOROUGH, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Oct. 29, 2013) - Do child care staff and Early Childhood Educators (ECEs) deserve kudos for their skills and a job well done? Peterborough municipalities think they do and child care workers and ECEs want to thank them for declaring October 30, 2013, Child Care Worker and Early Childhood Educator Appreciation Day.

Organized by the Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Ontario and supported by Ontario's labour movement, this Wednesday marks the 13th anniversary of the appreciation day, which recognizes the contribution that child care workers and ECEs make in communities, like Peterborough, across Ontario.

While children and families benefit directly from the work of child care workers, local economies also benefit. Research shows there are many economic benefits from affordable, accessible, licensed, high-quality child care and early learning programs. Those employed in the sector contribute to the economic life of municipalities and access to programs enables parents to work.

As in other growing Ontario communities, too many Peterborough region families are struggling to find child care. Although nearly 70 per cent of mothers with children under the age of five are working, there are only enough regulated spaces for about 19 per cent of children aged zero to 12. It's even harder to find spaces for infants and toddlers and children with disabilities.

Finding affordable, licensed day care is a huge challenge for parents. For many families, child care is the second-highest expense after housing. Ontario families can pay between $40 and $60 a day for care. In Quebec, families pay only seven dollars a day for a universal child care program that more than pays for itself.

This child care worker appreciation day, the ECEs and child care staff, who are members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), are inviting Peterborough-elected leaders to a kitchen table talk with a local family to "rethink" child care and early learning.